After decades of immigration from Asia and Latin America, Silicon Valley has hit a linguistic milestone that is rare in America: For the first time, a majority of Santa Clara County residents speak a language other than English at home.

In 2007, Santa Clara was one of just 10 counties in the United States where more than 50 percent of residents speak a foreign language at home, according to new U.S. Census Bureau data released Monday.

Most of those counties are home to Spanish speakers on the Mexican border or multilingual populations in large cities like New York, Los Angeles and Miami. But Santa Clara County, which is suburban in character, is home to a different kind of phenomenon, with highly educated workers and students drawn to the high-tech job mecca of Silicon Valley as orchards and farm fields gradually gave way to office space and cul-de-sacs.

that is the problem, they more than likely are not. Would any nation on the planet look at this issue and think that this is a takeover? Can we just go somewhere and set up house and demand a monthly check for nothing?

I was there for a month last summer, and I was one of the few English speaking people around. There was a large variety of languages around me from all over the world. It made it interesting to say the least.

8
posted on 09/29/2008 6:36:25 PM PDT
by donnab
(some people use change to promote their careers...others use their careers to promote change.)

I’ve got a problem with clueless immigration boosters who can’t or refuse to see the damage the mass influx of foreigners with very different ways of life has done to American culture over the past 40 years.

If you’re confused by my comment, you’re a probably a bit green on this topic. Here’s a hint: bloated lion.

This is exactly what the US needs. More legal immigrants bringing their knowledge and work ethics to this country. Hopefully, the old timers do not destroy this country before the new ones can make it more glorious.

Not really. We don't need 1.2 million legal immigrants a year. Thge Jordan commission recommended 300,000. We need a merit based system rather than the current kinship system, which is the reason why we are importing poverty, primarily from Latin America. We don't need the visa lottery program and should eliminate birthright citizenship. Much is made of the impact of illegal immigration, but legal immigration policies are destroying this country and have been doing so since 1965.

This is similar to what happened in many towns in Central Jersey (Edison, Iselin, etc.) where highly educated Indian immigrants bought houses and businesses in areas previously dominated by not so educated white “Amurcans.” I prefer the entrepreneurial and productive over the proletarians anyday of the week. Its the uneducated, illegal campesinos from Central America that upset me.

26
posted on 09/30/2008 9:18:31 AM PDT
by Clemenza
(PRIVATIZE FANNIE AND FREDDIE! NO MORE BAILOUTS!)

I cant tell you how strange and unnerving it is to feel like a foreigner in my own country.

You don't have to tell me; I live in Los Angeles. The other day I needed to go downtown and took the route through "Koreatown." As much as I have seen in this city of foreign signage, seen foreign people and heard their languages, even that shocked me, the extent to which the U.S.A. and our language are COMPLETELY excluded from that area.... whilst they enjoy our superior infrastructure and MANY other benefits, of course. It was very, very weird. We have gone past the point of tolerance.

I lived in Milpitas 10 years ago. It’s not a bad town, mostly Asian at the time. The neighbors kept their houses in great condition and there was little crime, although they kept to themselves and weren’t terribly friendly. I couldn’t buy clothes there, the stores only stock small sizes. There were a lot of cars with body damage driving around.

28
posted on 09/30/2008 10:02:28 AM PDT
by Reeses
(Leftism is powered by the evil force of envy.)

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